Iroh's Spirit
by demosthenes4815
Summary: ONESHOT...Iroh's visit to the spirit world.


_Author's Note: While the series finale of Avatar was superb...I was left with one question that went unanswered: what was the story with Iroh's journey to the spirit world? This oneshot seeks to find a possible answer to that question. Special Thanks to my Beta Reader PureSerentiy2912 :)  
_

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar or any of the characters.

"General Iroh, I have terrible news…it has been reported that your son has been killed". These words resonated over and over in the old man's head. The momentous buildup and triumph that had surrounded the siege of Ba Sing Se became moot…his son was dead and there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it.

What did this war matter anymore? Was the triumph of the Fire Nation and his overzealous father worth this much death? Think of all the fatherless kids, husbandless wives. He had seen the inside of Ba Sing Se, learned of its culture. Instead of a primitive, free-wheeling society, he saw a developed social structure. These people didn't need the Fire Nation's help…the Fire Nation needed them.

_No more,_ Iroh thought, _I don't want my son to die for the cause of more senseless death…it is time for me to leave this place. _Three days after the death of his son, Iroh left Ba Sing Se. He did not care what his old father or foolish brother thought of his flight…he was tired of being a tool of his nation…it had cost him everything.

Iroh wandered the Earth Kingdom in despair. He couldn't drink, he couldn't eat…all the pleasure seemed to be drained from his body. He was the 'dragon of the west', and now he was nothing, and he didn't care.

A week of wandering…his energy was depleted; he couldn't even manage to light a fire in the woods for shelter. He just curled up near a tree…ready to sleep…ready to die. He was beyond not caring, beyond anger, beyond his unimaginable grief. He slowly slipped into a silent sleep, having no intention of seeing the sun again, ever feeling the power it gave him, it was too painful.

Iroh awoke in a foggy haze. His head was throbbing, but he was surprisingly energized. He couldn't see but ten feet from his eyes. A huge beaver-stag came up to him aggressively, too aggressively. Iroh readied his stance and prepared to send a blast of fire, but nothing happened. He braced himself for the impact when the animal suddenly stopped. It beckoned him to follow it, and thinking of no alternative, he conceded.

Minutes later, Iroh found himself in a beautiful shrine. A grove of cedars, junipers, and dogwoods was centered by a babbling brook. Sitting on a stone in the middle of the brook was Avatar Roku himself. To the sight, Iroh's knees buckled.

"Hello Iroh of the Fire Nation" said Roku

"Where am I" asked Iroh.

"You are in the spirit world…a parallel universe where the essences of nature reside. The avatar, as you know, is the bridge between these worlds, as his or her past lives reside in concert in the spirit world while he or she remains in the human realm".

"But, then how did I get here"

"I brought you here…the death of your son was a horrible tragedy, one that was about to cause the end of your life in an attempt to achieve some level of peace and reconciliation with him. However, your time on Earth is not over. As you know, the Avatar has returned from his 100-year slumber. He is becoming very strong and much wiser, but he will need to be stronger than he can on his own in time to defeat your brother. Iroh, it is your destiny to help the Avatar".

"But how can I help? Even if I wanted to, I don't have the resources to track the avatar…my bending is gone, I don't have the drive to propel it any longer"

"While bending is based in the harnessing of emotions, the control of natural elements is fundamentally predicated in natural beings. Each form of bending has a natural animal or object that originated the art. For example, the original Earth Benders were the subterranean badger moles, and the Moon's control of the tides is the origination of waterbending. Water is the opposite of fire…and so logic would provide that the sun was the first firebender. An understanding of the sun leads to a true understanding of firebending. You must travel to the Fire Nation and find the legendary Sun Warriors, they hold the wisdom of true firebending and guard the spiritual keepers of the secret".

"But, I thought that the Sun Warriors were all extinct".

"No, just a well kept secret. Meet the Sun Warriors and regain your strength"

"What do I do then?"

"Then you must return to the Fire Nation Capital. While you are disgraced for your abandonment, many understand, and you will be welcomed back. Your stay will not be long, however, as your nephew's time there is almost up. He will soon fall out of favor with his father and be banished, doomed to track the avatar until he finds and captures him…a task his father knows he cannot achieve. Go with him and guide his journey…ensure that he doesn't capture the avatar. He will soon realize that his father will never welcome him back. He is destined to complete the avatar's training by teaching him firebending".

"But…"

"Speak no more Iroh…go, and seek your destiny"

The world around him went black, and then Iroh woke up next to the same tree he was to die against…he was ready to start his journey, ready to achieve his destiny.


End file.
